The present invention relates to surgical devices for assisting in the implantation of prostheses and more particularly to devices for assisting the surgeon in performing osteotomy or bone cutting in preparation for humeral prosthetic device implantation.
Prosthetic implant devices for use in reconstructing the proximal area of the human humerus are typically designed so as to closely mimic the natural bone anatomy of the proximal end of the humerus. The surgeon who is equipped with such humeral prosthetic devices is thus confronted with the task of performing as precise an osteotomy or bone cutting as possible which will accomodate the size and structure of the prosthetic device to be implanted. Prior techniques for performing an osteotomy to accomodate implantation of a humeral prosthesis have simply involved the careful and painstaking attention of the surgeon by eyesight to determine an appropriate site on the proximal end of the humerus for performance of the osteotomy.
It is an object of the invention therefore to provide a device for assisting the surgeon in the performance of a humeral osteotomy. It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which defines a proximal humeral osteotomy line and which guides the surgeon in the performance of the bone cutting.